Pastor Larson retiring from Bruderheim Community Church in June

The Bruderheim Community Church board are on the hunt for a new pastor after their current pastor, Wayne Larson, read his letter of resignation during their March 19 church services.

Larson, who has led the church for the past eight years, said his last official day will be in June.

In his letter, Larson shared the story of how he came to be pastor at the Bruderheim Community Church including how he felt during his interview in 2015 with the church board.

“It became quite obvious to both me and to (my wife) Karen, and I think to the Board, that God was calling us to pitch our tent among the people who made up this congregation,” he said.

Larson also addressed the church’s history after they separated from The Moravian Church Society in 2017.

In Dec. 2021 the Bruderheim Community Church lost a long fought legal battle to retain ownership of the church property forcing them to find a new place to hold their weekly services.

“God has amazingly sustained us through everything we’ve faced in the past eight years and the decision that you collectively made to dissociate from the former Moravian denomination and to become a self- governing, evangelical congregation known as Bruderheim Community Church, in 2017 was a bold move with untold consequences,” he said.

The Alberta Treasury Branch building, that has been in Bruderheim for over 40 years, became vacant earlier in the year allowing a space for the church to resume their services.

Meanwhile, Larson assured the congregation of his reasons for stepping down.

“We want you to know that we are not ‘abandoning’ you for some other place of ministry or place to belong. We just think that the time has come for you to find another pastor, who is younger, has more energy, and who can relate to the next generation better than I am able to, anymore. Truth be told, I still love preaching and preparing for preaching as well as other pastoral responsibilities, but I am feeling tired and need time to catch up on life and family and sleep without worrying about what is needed for next Sunday,” he said.

Larson has pastored for the past 55 years starting with his first student pastorate in 1968.

Jana Semeniuk
Staff Reporter

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